


if i had my time again

by georgiehensley



Category: Groundhog Day - Minchin/Rubin
Genre: F/M, Implied Relationships, Surprise Ending, Time Loop, post-show
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-16
Updated: 2017-08-16
Packaged: 2018-12-12 00:21:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11725620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/georgiehensley/pseuds/georgiehensley
Summary: a year after the events of the show, phil and rita return to punxsutawney to celebrate another groundhog day with their friends. this time around, it's rita who gets stuck in a time loop, and she has no idea why.





	if i had my time again

**Author's Note:**

> **based on the following prompt:** _on their one-year anniversary, phil and rita return to punx for g-hog day and this time rita starts looping. she tells phil and he is super cute and understanding about it and basically tries to make it the best experience for her, day after day, bc he never wants her to feel the darkness he did._

“ _who is that? (who is that?) emerging from his burrow? who can see today what we won't see until tomorrow…._ ”

rita groans, turning over on the mattress, back to the alarm clock. _wasn't that yesterday's intro?_

next to her, phil chuckles softly, saying, “no matter how many times i hear it, it doesn't get any less annoying.” _just like yesterday…_

suddenly, rita bolts upright.

“phil?” she asks. “what day is it?”

“as if you don't already know from _that_ ,” phil says, sitting up with her. when she doesn't respond, he grows concerned. “you’re serious. babe, what's wrong?”

“what day is it?” rita asks again.

“it's groundhog day.”

and rita’s heart rate spikes, as does her breathing, which she struggles to keep relatively slow.

“either i’ve had the strangest dream,” rita says. “or i’m stuck in a time loop like you were last year.” phil’s expression relaxes.

“come here,” he says, pulling her into a hug, rubbing her back. “you'll get out of this, i promise. just have to figure out why you got here in the first place.” rita snorts.

“and how do i do that?” she asks, voice muffled by the fabric of phil’s shirt. phil sighs.

“it'll come to you,” he says. “with time.” rita pulls back, sniffling, and that’s when phil realizes she'd been crying into his shoulder.

“that's all i have now, i guess,” she says, wiping away a tear as it falls down her cheek. “an infinite amount of time.”

“then we'll make the most of it,” phil says. “i can take you all over the town until you come to learn everything about it. maybe that's why you're here - to appreciate the small town more.” rita shakes her head.

“that's why _you_ were in the loop, phil,” she says.

“it was actually more than that,” phil says sheepishly. “anyway, i plan to make this loop as enjoyable for you as possible.”

“but you won't remember this tomorrow,” rita says. “i’ll have to explain this to you all over again.”

“then do that,” phil says, before taking rita’s face in his hands, wiping away her tears with his thumbs. “but there is no timeline out there where i won't be 100% willing to help you get out of this.” rita smiles softly.

“thank you,” she says. phil kisses her on the forehead, and she can't help but let out a soft giggle, even as he puts his hands down. “now what?”

“now,” phil says, standing from the bed. “we have a broadcast to do.”

~

to her surprise, phil keeps his word, making the most of the day with her. when she felt the urge to head to the bar for a drink, he pulled her along, over to the park, where they had a snowball fight. (which, in itself, gave her an odd sense of deja vu that she just couldn't place.) the fight ended in them rolling around in the snow, only until she pinned him to the ground, giggling and kissing his frosty lips before climbing off of him.

now, they're right where they ended up the previous day (that rita remembers) - the groundhog day festival. unlike the previous year, though, a date with phil connors is something _not_ up for auction, a fact that has everyone sending knowing smiles rita’s way, ones that just leave her to blush.

tired from the hectic day, rita settles into a seat at the table, watching as phil steps off the stage after his performance, gaze immediately falling onto her.

“may i have this dance, my lady?” he asks with a teasing smile, offering a hand. rita laughs.

“of course you may,” she says, taking his hand and allowing herself to be pulled up and onto the dance floor. once there, his other hand falls to her waist, her own settling on his shoulder. together, they sway to the music, fond smiles on their faces. feeling relaxed, rita lets her head fall against phil’s shoulder, and he lets go of her hand to settle both of his at the base of her back, lightly rubbing it like he had that morning. her smile grows.

it's then that her thoughts begin to wander, thinking about how oddly perfect the day has been despite its obvious flaw, and how adorably sweet phil has been the entire time, making sure that the repeated day was as enjoyable for her as possible.

the more she thinks about it, the more she thinks she loves him.

she lifts her head, opening her mouth to say just that.

“phil!” fred calls out before rita can speak. “can we bother you for a selfie? it's to send to debbie’s mom - she's a huge fan.” phil laughs softly.

“yeah, okay,” he says, turning back to rita. “do you mind?”

“no, not at all,” rita says, letting phil go. she watches him cross the room, and sighs. one day, she'll tell him how she feels.

~

to no one’s surprise, the day repeats. again, she wakes up to the annoying radio jingle. again, she explains her situation to phil, and again, he promises to make her day as enjoyable as possible.

and again, she lets him go at the exact moment she wants to tell him she loves him.

it takes her yet another day in the loop for her to realize that maybe _this_ is why she's stuck where she is.

and it takes her a couple more before she figures out how to fix things.

“where are you going?” phil asks on the eighth day of the loop (not that rita’s counting) when she starts running back into town as soon as the broadcast is finished.

“just have some errands to run!” she calls back. phil’s eyebrows furrow.

“errands?” he says under his breath, wondering just what, exactly, his girlfriend is up to.

~

this time, when phil walks over to where rita is, asking her to dance, she's already on her feet, wearing her coat.

“actually,” she says. “mind if we head up to the roof?” phil blinks.

“i’d love to,” he says, starting to smile. rita grins back, grabbing his hand and pulling him along.

“any particular reason why you wanted to come up here?” phil asks once they're outside. rita shrugs.

“no,” she says casually. phil smiles, gaze falling on the view of the town.

“it's funny,” he says. “i’ve spent so much time in this town, but i never realized how beautiful it is - or how actually quite large it is, for that matter. an infinite amount of time spent here, and i still keep missing so many things--” he glances over at rita, and suddenly grows speechless. in front of him, she's down on one knee, small black velvet box open to reveal a simple silver band. phil glances up at rita’s face, only to find her smiling, tears in her eyes.

“all these days spent in the loop, and i finally realized why i became stuck here,” she says. “because i was too chicken to tell you how i feel... i love you, and i can't imagine spending my life with anyone else. you understand me like no one else has before and i--” she stops, a couple more tears slipping down her face. “i’m really grateful for that. so, phillip andrew connors,” phil laughs softly at the use of his full name. “would you do me the honor of being my husband?” phil grins, tears in his own eyes.

“of course,” he says. “how could i ever say no to a proposal like _that_?” rita giggles, taking phil’s hand and slipping the ring onto his finger, before standing and throwing her arms around him, kissing him on the lips.

“you know,” phil says when they pull apart a few moments later. “it takes a lot of balls to get down on one knee and propose. that's why the man usually does it.” rita rolls her eyes.

“shut up,” she says. phil just laughs, kissing her again.

~

“we have an announcement,” phil says when the two re-enter the room, standing hand-in-hand. he takes a deep breath before saying, “we’re engaged!” the room falls into chatter, everyone asking question after question and making comments, but one stands out to the couple.

“can we see the ring?” nancy asks. rita and phil share a glance, smiling knowingly.

“well,” phil says. “i could never say no to a fan.” he sticks his hand out, showing off his ring, and the room gasps, confused murmurs heard in the back.

“ _you_ proposed?” debbie asks rita. rita smiles.

“yup,” she says simply.

“that's so cool!” debbie says. “why didn't _i_ think of that?”

“it's a lovely ring,” fred comments, glancing up at the two. “you picked a good one.” rita blushes.

“oh, it’s nothing special,” she says.

“i wasn't talking about the ring,” fred says, and rita’s blush deepens, which she tries to hide behind phil’s shoulder. phil just laughs.

~

the following morning, rita wakes up to no alarm, a fact which surprises her at first. she initially thinks she just woke up before the alarm, but then she glances at her clock, and finds that it just never went off. the realization leaves her smiling.

phil rolls over, an arm thrown over her waist, and she feels his rough stubble as he presses a kiss to her bare shoulder, exposed due to the thin straps of her camisole.

“morning,” he says, and she turns, smiling when her gaze falls on him, his green eyes softer with sleep, hair mussed up from his pillow, a fond smile on his face.

“good morning,” she says. “what day is it?” phil laughs softly.

“february 3rd,” he says. “ _not_ groundhog day.” rita smiles again.

“good,” she says, before kissing him.


End file.
